100 Thousand Poets For Change

A Shot In The Dark, Cardiff

What’s On Wales

Times: 1pm

Prices: Free but donations to
Lapidus Cymru welcomed

Date:
24 Sep 11

Welsh poets will join others around the world in a celebration of poetry as a vehicle to promote serious social, enviromental and political change, with poetry demonstrations being organised in such political hotspots as Cairo, Kabul and Jalalabad. The Welsh event will take place at A Shot In The Dark, Cardiff.

The Cardiff event places its focus on mental health, creativity and well-being, with an event theme – ‘the doors of perception’ – and donations going to Lapidus Cymru, although these are voluntary as the event itself is free to attend.

The many poets taking part include local authors Bob Rogers and Susie Wild, Somerset Maugham award winner Mark Blayney, acclaimed ‘black mountain poet’ Graham Hartill, storyteller Amanda Rackstraw, spoken word artist Liam Johnson, as well as a reading from Labi Siffre, the poet, musician and songwriter whose hits include “(Something Inside) So Strong” and “I Got The”, the sampled rhythm track of which provides the basis for Eminem’s hit single “My Name Is”.

This will be Siffre’s first public performance in roughly 12 years, with the star reading some of his poems, rather than the songs which have, variously, been covered or sampled by Madness, Olivia Newton John, Fatboy Slim and Jay-Z.

The event organisers, poets Gill Brightmore and Mab Jones, will be streaming the event live via the internet for those who are unable to attend - bambuser.com/channel/mabjones.